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Why go to school? Student, parent and teacher beliefs about the purposes of schooling

Why go to school? Student, parent and teacher beliefs about the purposes of schooling This qualitative study explored the beliefs of students, parents and teachers on the purposes of schooling in order to provide a context for understanding beliefs and attitudes to school learning and achievement. Focus groups were conducted with Year 9 and 10 students (aged 13–15 years) and parents and teachers in three secondary schools in different socio-economic areas in an urban district. Four categories were identified in relation to beliefs about the purposes of schooling: (1) to learn and gain self-knowledge; (2) to develop life and social skills; (3) to optimize life chances and quality of life; (4) to enable future employment and economic wellbeing. Comparisons revealed that students, parents and teachers all believed in the learning purpose of schooling, but did not all endorse an economic purpose. Students had the broadest views on school purposes. The greatest alignment between views was found for students and parents. The greatest difference between groups was found for students and teachers from high socio-economic area schools. Findings were considered in relation to national curriculum aims and external pressures from globalization. Overall, findings are conducive to a lifelong learning approach, pointing to belief in the intrinsic value of school learning independent of any economic function it may serve. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Asia Pacific Journal of Education Taylor & Francis

Why go to school? Student, parent and teacher beliefs about the purposes of schooling

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Why go to school? Student, parent and teacher beliefs about the purposes of schooling

Abstract

This qualitative study explored the beliefs of students, parents and teachers on the purposes of schooling in order to provide a context for understanding beliefs and attitudes to school learning and achievement. Focus groups were conducted with Year 9 and 10 students (aged 13–15 years) and parents and teachers in three secondary schools in different socio-economic areas in an urban district. Four categories were identified in relation to beliefs about the purposes of schooling: (1) to...
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Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Copyright
© 2014 National Institute of Education, Singapore
ISSN
1742-6855
eISSN
0218-8791
DOI
10.1080/02188791.2013.876973
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

This qualitative study explored the beliefs of students, parents and teachers on the purposes of schooling in order to provide a context for understanding beliefs and attitudes to school learning and achievement. Focus groups were conducted with Year 9 and 10 students (aged 13–15 years) and parents and teachers in three secondary schools in different socio-economic areas in an urban district. Four categories were identified in relation to beliefs about the purposes of schooling: (1) to learn and gain self-knowledge; (2) to develop life and social skills; (3) to optimize life chances and quality of life; (4) to enable future employment and economic wellbeing. Comparisons revealed that students, parents and teachers all believed in the learning purpose of schooling, but did not all endorse an economic purpose. Students had the broadest views on school purposes. The greatest alignment between views was found for students and parents. The greatest difference between groups was found for students and teachers from high socio-economic area schools. Findings were considered in relation to national curriculum aims and external pressures from globalization. Overall, findings are conducive to a lifelong learning approach, pointing to belief in the intrinsic value of school learning independent of any economic function it may serve.

Journal

Asia Pacific Journal of Education – Taylor & Francis

Published: Oct 2, 2015

Keywords: lifelong learning; academic learning; economic function of schooling; secondary school students; focus groups

References

  • Focus groups with children: A resource for sexual abuse prevention program evaluation
  • The purpose of education – a “post-liberal” perspective
  • Factors influencing educational motivation: A study of attitudes, expectations and behaviour of children in Sunderland, Kentucky and St. Petersburg
  • ‘The kids are doing all right’: Differences in parental satisfaction, expectation and attribution in St. Petersburg, Sunderland and Kentucky
  • Why do we send children to school? 
  • The interview: From structured questions to negotiated text
  • Fulfilling the public purpose of schooling
  • New Zealand education snapshot with specific reference to years 1–13
  • Implicit theories, attributions, and coping: A meaning system approach
  • Nous écouter, nous soutenir, nous apprendre 1 : A comparative study of pupils' perceptions of the pedagogic process
  • Adolescents' theories of education
  • Focus group method and methodology: Current practice and recent debate
  • A general inductive approach for analyzing qualitative evaluation data